{"product_id":"mengelberg-beethoven-symphonies-2-8-fidelio-overture-1940-pasc229","title":"MENGELBERG Beethoven: Symphonies 2 \u0026 8, Fidelio Overture (1940) - PASC229","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 8\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eFidelio Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded live in 1940, Amsterdam\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 71:09 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWillem Mengelberg\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fAnother truly exceptional disc from Pristine. Keep ’em coming!578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAndrew Rose continues to work his restorative\nmagic on Mengelberg’s wartime performances, and the results are again\nrevelatory in terms of improvements in dynamic range and presence, far\noutclassing previous CD releases from Music \u0026amp; Arts and Philips. I\nhave one small reservation: The Pristine transfers are perhaps very\nslightly over-filtered in the quietest passages, occasionally resulting\nin a “disappearing” effect at the extreme end of the dynamic range. A\ncase in point is the diminuendo to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eppp\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e before the crashing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eforte\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\nC♯ near the beginning of the finale of No. 8—the Philips sounds a\nlittle more natural here, through its heavy acetate crackle. But in\nevery other respect, the superiority is Pristine’s all the way. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eNo. 2 is played for clarity, at deliberate tempos,\nwith weighty precision. The first movement (complete with exposition\nrepeat) has a remarkable sharpness of focus, with a fanatical concern to\nmake every note count (e.g., the amazing fullness and breadth achieved\nin the descending figure in cellos and basses at bars 88 ff.).\nMengelberg’s refusal to hurry this movement is altogether a far cry from\nthe impulsive dash of Krauss (VPO, 1929\/Preiser) or the extrovert\nassertiveness of Beecham (LPO, 1936\/Beecham Collection), closer to the\npliable, richly detailed approach of Kleiber (Berlin State Opera\nOrchestra, 1929\/Dutton Labs or Naxos). The Larghetto is slow (12:33),\nplayed with great freedom and immense care over detail (hear the singing\nsecond theme, bars 48 ff., and the “speaking” quality of the\nstrings\/wind interchanges at 66 ff.). In the main theme of the finale,\nMengelberg’s obsession with clarity of articulation might be thought to\ncourt pedantry. The controlled rigor of the approach culminates in a\ncoda of ferocious, crushing power. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eInterestingly, Toscanini takes a similarly\nweightier than usual approach in his 1939 cycle (Music \u0026amp; Arts), a\nperformance of great intensity and élan, though less nuance than the\nDutch maestro. Fascinating, too, to hear Mengelberg in another live\nversion from three years later (1943\/Tahra), now taking an altogether\nless extreme view of the work, notably faster and lighter. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe first movement of No. 8 has an exceptionally\ntrenchant force and clarity, combining extreme rhythmic and\nphrase-structural precision with huge tempo flexibility in the secondary\nand closing material. Mengelberg radically lightens the dense textures\nof the minuet, imparting a rare degree of real dance lift. The finale is\na miracle of refinement and precision at its moderate tempo, with\nplenty of time for the attention to detail to speak (and quite a\ncontrast with Toscanini’s fierce, clipped approach in 1939, at a tempo\nuniquely—for its time—close to Beethoven’s metronome mark). For one\nsmall example, hear his dramatically enhanced timing of the deceptive\nchromatic resolutions at bars 48 and 224, setting the scene for the\npayoff of playing it straight at the motive’s third appearance (bar\n408), where it finally resolves to the tonic—Mengelberg was ever the\nmusician’s musician, for all his penchant for outsize gestures. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe performance of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFidelio\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\nOverture is decades ahead of its time in lightness, verve, and sheer\ncoruscating brilliance, anticipating the period-performance movement in\nits rhythmic snap (hear the Allegro’s main horn theme, the notes briskly\nclipped for maximum airiness and punch). \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAnother truly exceptional disc from Pristine. Keep ’em coming! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBoyd Pomeroy \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 34:3 (Jan\/Feb 2011) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC229.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMore superb Beethoven from Willem Mengelberg\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem class=\"bodymid\"\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eUtterly astonishing XR-remastered sound quality\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Willem Mengelberg and the Concertgebouw Orchestra were recorded on a number of occasions by AVRO using high quality glass acetate discs, which produced significantly better results than those normally obtained by shellac discs of the era, with a much wider dynamic and frequency range than was usual at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of Mengelberg's AVRO recordings have long been available on LP and, later, CD, and their sonic advantages have been immediately clear to listeners for decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, using standard flat replay systems to produce those LPs and CDs has only told perhaps half of the story - the recordings gently rolled off both higher and lower frequencies. Howver, these essential details are often still intact, buried in the recordings as if awaiting a remastering method capable of extracting them and restoring their original levels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is, of course, precisely what Pristine's XR remastering system excels at. There are extended sections in both 1940 concert recordings present here where we've been able to present a true full-frequency, 20-20,000 Hz frequency response, coupled with a dynamic range more befitting of a 1960s or 1970s analogue recording - sound quality which is quite astonishing for its age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElsewhere the bottom end has seen considerable improvement, with a much fuller and richer sound than originally heard in the flat transfers. The use of multiple references for the remastering of the recordings has ensured that the tonal balance is as natural and realistic as possible, and that the two recordings resulted in an orchestral sound which was consistent for both recordings. One will rarely get closer to hearing a 1940 concert than this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThese transfers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The discs which originally held the present recordings were variable in condition, and at times quite extensive repair work has been necessary in order to remove or reduce bumps, clicks, scratches, swish and high-end noise. In order to maintain as much musical information as possible there is therefore some small variation in background noise, though I've tried to retain smooth progressions between the various sections of the recordings so this does not jar. Overall the sound is once again amazing for its vintage - despite repeated listening I remain astonished at what was achieved in 1940 and what I've been able to extract and reveal in these superlative recordings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e \u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 36\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eConcert of 21st April, 1940\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 8 in F major, Opus 93\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eConcert of 18th April, 1940\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/b\u003eFidelio Overture, Op. 72c \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eConcert variously attributed to April 28th or October 13th, 1940\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ePlayed by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra\u003cbr\u003econductor Willem Mengelberg \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eRecorded in April\/October 1940 at the Concertgebouw, by AVRO Radio\u003cbr\u003eTransfers from Philips LPs 6597 010 and 6597 009 in the Pristine collection\u003cbr\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, May-June 2010\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Willem Mengelberg at the Concertgebouw\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration: 71:09 \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC229.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC229.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010050933102,"sku":"doc1789305605966","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010050965870,"sku":"xsm1789305605967","price":8.93,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010050998638,"sku":"bzk1789305605968","price":8.04,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":55010051031406,"sku":"owv1789305605969","price":6.26,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0915\/3986\/5966\/files\/mengelberg-beethoven-symphonies-2-8-fidelio-overture-1940---pasc229_1.jpg?v=1789305612","url":"https:\/\/www.harborviewgoods.shop\/products\/mengelberg-beethoven-symphonies-2-8-fidelio-overture-1940-pasc229","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}